Imprints and Impressions
by Completely Different
Summary: The world of the Avatar is diverse and colourful; each place, person and character leaves their own impression upon it. A collection of one-shots.
1. Blue Fire

In the royal courtyard, under the beating heat of the sun, fire bloomed.

It swirled and danced, tongues of scarlet flame under an endless sky. It twisted it turn with the bender's body; jets and plumes, in time with kicks and punches. The bender's feet hardly ever touched the stone ground; she jumped up, as agile as a cat, and moved quickly into a summersault.

Anyone could tell this was a master fire-bender; she moved in a flurry of heat, and wielded the flames like a dagger.

She was coming to the end of her routine. A roundhouse kick, accompanied by a burning wave. A swift jump to her feet, and a volley of punches. A quick roll to the left; a jump up. And then she was perfectly still, like a stone statue with eyes of gold.

And now, it was obvious; the bender was only a girl, no older than twelve.

She was hardly out of breath; only a single bead of sweat rolled down her neck. But her muscles ached, and she longed for a drink to soothe her parched throat.

"Good," said a man to Azula. He was shaded in shadow, out of both the burning sun and the path of any wayward fire-blast. He was dressed in fine robes of crimson, and mounted atop his head was a simple crown of gold. "But not perfect."

Azula shivered despite the hot air.

"Please father, can't I take a rest? We've been working for hours." She tried not to whine; Princess's didn't whine. They were too good for that.

The Fire Lord's face was as impassive as stone. "Can the Fire Lord take a rest? No he is always working, always keeping our nation safe. Only the weak take a rest."

Azula didn't want to be weak; she wanted to be strong, unbeatable, just like her father. But she was tired, and all she wanted to do was to lay down under the shade of a tree. At that moment, it didn't sound too bad to be just a_ little_ bit weak.

But out loud she said, in her most polite voice; "No father."

Ozai nodded, his face still blank. But there was a faint glow of pride in his eyes. "Good. You will make a wonderful Fire-Lord, one day."

Azula felt as if ice water had been dumped over her; it wasn't entirely unpleasant. In fact it was almost welcomed. It felt like a rush of power.

But she had been raised in the royal palace; a place always swirling with deceit and shadows, and so she was wary. "What do you mean, father? Zuko is in line to be fire-lord, not me."

Ozai leaned forward, and the first spark of an expression flickered on his face; it was almost hungry. With his amber eyes he looked like a cobra, ready to strike. And suddenly, she was all the more aware of what a dangerous and powerful man her father was.

But she wasn't scared.

"Do you want to be fire-lord?"

She thought about it. Did she want to be the most powerful person in the world? Did she want to have armies at her command?

Did she want to be better than her brother, Zuko? The first born, the one all the servant's liked. The wimpy boy, who could hardly fire-bend? The one, who for some unperceivable reason, her mother had loved more than her?

The feeling of icy cold seemed to swell up into her, and her resolve hardened.

"Yes."

"Then keep practicing," Ozai ordered, and leaned back.

And so, Azula pushed all the other thoughts out of her mind; of resting under the tree, or pestering the servants or even playing with Mai and Ty Lee. Instead, she began practicing; channeling all her energy into the flames, putting as much force as possible into her jumps.

She was going to be powerful. She was going to be strong. She was going to be _perfect._

The cold feeling inside of her began to grow, filling her. It became terribly strong; and then it became hot; as hot as the coals in a heart, or the sun's very power. It was cold and hot at the same time.

Azula kicked, and into the air swirled her first blue flame.


	2. Mother's Curse

"I try not to think about it, but when I left, I probably really hurt them."

Toph- The Runaway

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Being a mother is both a blessing and a curse.

To give birth to child of your own blood is one of nature's greatest treasures. You get to nurture that child, keeping it from harm's way, watching the child grow. And then one day you get to see the child bloom; her petals unfold and she makes her own life.

And yet, we mothers bear a curse, too. Not only do our children grow, but they grow away from us…;until one day, they drift away, like leaves in the wind.

When I became pregnant, I knew that day would come. But I did not care. That was the will of the spirits, the way of nature. And anyway, I would have plenty of time with my child before she had to leave…

Yes, I was resigned to that particular curse. But I was hardly ready for another, far greater one.

When my daughter was born, she was frail and tiny. She was hardly bigger than my cupped hands. Her crying nearly died in her throat- more of a pitiful squeak than anything. When the midwife saw her, she shook her head sadly. 'I doubt she'll even make it through her first night.'

But despite her small body and pathetic cry, she did make. My baby was weak, but she was resilient.

As the days went by, my baby became stronger and stronger. She was still weak, but we no longer feared her death. I was ecstatic, my hope flaring like a candle.

But still, something was wrong.

We weren't sure what it was, at first. It was just a feeling, hiding in the shadows, waiting. But we could all feel it.

I remember, about a week after her birth, dangling a toy in front of my child's eyes. It was a beautiful stuffed platypus-bear, with soft and silky fur. He was so cute that most children would grab it instantly. But my daughter just stared past it like I wasn't even there.

And then, whenever we crossed the room, my little girl would ignore me, her face fixed in front of her. Only when I spoke would she turn toward me, her face brightening with a baby's smile. Her movements were clumsy and rough- even more so than the average newborn.

Soon, we couldn't ignore it. My child was blind.

I looked into her eyes, really looked. They were blue, just like my husband. I had always loved them. It was a rare colour- a blue like the choppy ocean. But my daughter's were completely different. Pale and milky. Unseeing.

'She's blind. Nothing for it.'

When I first learned, a small tear ran down my face, like a single rain drop. My poor baby…

I imagined what it would be like, never being able to see the sun set. To never see the brilliant colours of the garden, or the overwhelming brilliance of the night sky. My daughter's world would always be dark. She wouldn't even know what colour _was. _

I had always been told that the greatest weight a mother would bear was the knowledge that one day their children would leave home. But now I had an even greater weight; the knowledge that my child could _never _leave.

No, I could never let my little blind girl into the world. The Earth Kingdom is all about beauty; art, fashion, dignity. The world of the upper class would squash my little flower underfoot if they ever found out about her disability.

And so, I protected her. I ordered the midwife to tell everyone that my daughter had died, too frail to carry on. As far as anyone would know, the Bei Fong's were childless.

My little girl would never run around the garden with another child. She would never attend a party, dressed in brilliant silks. She would never embrace a man, or feel the flutter of lips on lips. She would never move away to create her own family. She was destined to be an old maid; and I was destined to watch her become one.

It hurt me to do it. Oh, it hurt me so much. But there was no alternative.

I remember holding my daughter close to me, her non-seeing eyes closed while she dreamt a sightless dream. It was then that I named her.

"Toph," I whispered in her ears. It wasn't a particularly beautiful name, but I was attracted to its simplicity. And its meaning was perfect; Supported Lotus. Because I would always watch and protect my little flower, holding her up in the terrible storm life would throw at her.

And so I raised her for the next twelve years. I gave her everything she could ever need or want; the nicest food, a comfortable bed, even beautiful gowns and jewelry, despite the fact we knew she couldn't see them. We even got Toph an earthbending teacher, at her request. It was rather useless- who ever heard of a blind earth bender? But my daughter seemed so set on it, and I couldn't bear to see her unhappy.

Still, despite my best efforts, she _was _unhappy. She spent much of her time in the garden, often disappearing for hours at a time. It worried me to leave her alone, but I tried not to intervene _too _much. A girl needs some freedom.

For twelve years I protected her from the world.

It took one day for my protection to vanish.

On one starry night, my daughter was kidnapped. She simply vanished from the garden, along with the Avatar. I was racked with worry. How could I have let that happen? She was in the company of the most powerful being on the earth! How could he let this happen? She was just a little girl, blind and helpless…

So, when she returned unharmed, the most amazing wave of relief washed over me.

This relief was quickly squashed as I heard the tale that followed. My daughter running away, and hiding with badger moles. My daughter secretly training herself to earth bend. My daughter escaping the household and fighting barbaric battles. My daughter _lying_ to me all these years.

Toph had stood before us, explaining. And at the end of the story, she said: 'So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me.'

_Of course it doesn't! You're my daughter_, I wanted to scream. I loved her. Nothing could change that. And I was still going to protect her, no matter what.

'Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you Toph,' my Husband, Lao, said, echoing my thoughts. 'It's made me realize something."'

"It has?" Toph's voice swelled with joy.

"Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom."

Lao was right. Toph was in danger. She was blind. Earth bender or not, we couldn't let her into the world. She thought she was strong, and that she could fend for herself. But all it would take was one mistake, and my little lotus would be crushed into the ground. The world was heartless. It wouldn't care about the death of one girl.

I knew all that, but it didn't stop my heart from breaking when I saw the tear roll down her face.

And then the ordeal was done. We ordered the Avatar and his little group out of the house. Toph returned to her room, my husband and I following suit. We were all tired and wound up. We would continue the conversation later.

There was no later.

The next morning we awoke to find Toph's bed empty…not even slept in. The Avatar was gone, my daughter with him.

The next few hours are a blur in my memory. All I remember is this terrible emptiness inside me, as if I had been filled with ice. My daughter was gone. My little lotus had grown, and disappeared.

The pain was just like what I had felt when I learned she was blind, only so much more intense. She was gone, and I might never see her again.

And I realized, with a sudden numbness, the truth. I had never been cursed at all. For it is far worse to lose your child, than to keep her forever.


	3. Ten Songs

Okay, this chapter requires a bit of explaining- it isn't a single one shot. Instead, it's a writing exercise I found floating around somewhere. The basic idea is that you put your iPod on random, and you write something based on that song. You stop writing once the song's finished. It's really fun, and it kills writer's block like anything- go try it!

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**Song 1: these things that I've done- The Killers**

"You're terrible!" screeched the voices in his head. Lu Ten shook it vigorously…the voices followed him everywhere these days. Anger, hate- they thought he was a monster.

All the things he'd done seemed to followed him. The death of men who'd he killed with his own hand, the lives he'd destroyed. How could he ever live with himself.

After weeks of this pain, he finally asked one of the older soldiers for help. "You gotta help me out!"

The man laughed, empathizing with the man. "Remember- you may be a soul, but that doesn't mean that you don't have soul. Hold onto your humanity. And remember," he told him, "we're doing the right thing. We're helping the world."

But still, the boy felt as if he was letting himself down with all the terrible things he'd done.

**Song 2: Paperback Writer-The Beatles**

Suki cocked her eyebrow as she read the piece of parchment. Well, actually, the last in a long stream of parchment.

"Do you like?" her boyfriend asked eagerly.

"Well," she said slowly, "it's interesting…but it sort detours form a truth."

"It does not," Sokka huffed. "I would know better than you, anyway- you weren't even there for most of it."

"You make yourself up to be a half-wolf warrior, that world bows down to." She pointed out, and the boy just grinned.

**Song Three: Defying Gravity- Wicked**

"Why couldn't you have stayed calm!" the monk berated her. "You're the avatar now! You can't just keep blowing up in everyone's face."

Yang Chen scowled at the older women. "I wasn't- I was simply pointing out my opinion."

"Just because you're the Avatar doesn't mean you can say whatever you want."

It wasn't that. No, she wasn't doing what she wanted. If she could do that, she would be playing, flying through the air, instead of speaking with officials with all the other nations. She was doing _anything _but what she wanted.

So, what if it wasn't what people wanted to hear?

She was the Avatar. She was an air bender. She saw things the way no one else saw.

She was gravity defying.

"They needed to hear what I said- their ideas were wrong."

The women huffed, and crossed her arms. How could such a brass girl have become the most powerful person in the world.

"You're going to make a lot of people unhappy if you talk that way."

She gave a mischievous smile. Nobody, not even some stuffy politician could tell her what to do.

**Song Four: Imagine- John Lennon**

"The white lotus." The words slipped from Iroh's lips. He was in front of _the _Order of the White Lotus, the legendary, secret group, dedicated to protecting the secrets and knowledge of the pass.

"You want me to join?" he asked the older man incredulously.

"Yes- do you want to?"

"Of course."

"Then remember this. When you're with us, you'll never be a Fire Nation Prince in our eyes. You will belong to a no nation. We have no separate religion, no one goes hungry. We are all one, brotherhood of man, sharing out secrets."

The Dragon of the West Smiled. "It is all I have ever dreamed. I am glad I'm not the only one."

**Song Five: Run, Run Away- Great Big Sea**

When people saw her, they saw her the way they wanted.

Her father saw her as a tool, a way to get what he wanted- the perfect daughter.

Her people saw her as a great leader, a savior- the perfect princess.

The Dai Lee saw her as a helpless girl, unable to fend for herself- the perfect pawn.

She blended into their believes, becoming what they expected. And that was where the true power lay. She was a chameleon, lying in the sunlight. She had all the power.

But all the time, she feared those who saw through her camouflage….her mother, her brother, her uncle….

**Song Six: Calforniacation- Red Hot Chili Peppers**

"Sokka," the little girl hesitated one day. "Do you ever wish….wish we had a more exciting life?"

The young warrior looked at his sister. They had just come back from ice fishing, dodging the dangerous flows of freezing water. "What do you mean?" he asked in amazement, adrenaline still pumping.

"I mean…. Do you ever wish we lived somewhere other than the middle of no where? Like in those big cities that Gran Gran describes?"

Sokka was silent for a long time. In his mind he saw his father and the men of his tribe going off to war, leaving his alone. He wanted to go to the war, and fight.

But at the same time, he was afraid. Afraid of the unknown, of meeting more people in a day than he knew in his whole life. To be somewhere that wasn't snow and ice. To be somewhere where he was just a nameless number.

"Yes," he said.

"Me too." The little girl's voice was quiet.

"Don't worry- we'll get there someday." He told her. "One day out dreams will come true."

And somewhere, deep beneath the icy waters they had just navigated was a boy, frozen, asleep. And he was waiting, waiting, waiting…..

**Song Seven: We are the Champions- Queen**

"I've made mistakes," he said to the picture of his mother. He thought of his uncle, sitting in prison, paying for some non-existant crime. He thought of the thousands of dead soldiers and ruined lives his family had cause. "But I'm going to make it all right."

He would face his father. He'd go and find the Avatar- he'd leave behind the fame and popularity and his own Princehood- and he'd make it all right.

They would save the world. They would restore balance. Tey would fight, and fight, and would never give up.

And they would come up on top.

And in that moment, Zuko knew- he just knew- that they would be the champions.

**Song Eight: Let's Get Loud- Jennifer Lopez**

The girl jumped up- she twirled, she dance. Her brown hair flew around her face, whipping in a joyous frenzy. Her red skirt twirled, an inferno of fire, burning with the passion of the dance. In her ears pounded the music, the drumbeat of a hundred feet. Sweat dropped from her head.

"Let's get loud!" shouted somebody in the distance.

Feet pounded. The horn blared. Everyone moved in perfect rhythm.

Angie knew she would get in trouble. But she didn't care.

For once, she didn't remember the pressure of her parents. She didn't remember the scornful look of her boyfriend, of the pressure of the war.

Instead, her mind was filled with the shape of hundreds of bodies, all moving to the same beat. And she saw the face of a mysterious boy, the boy with the headband.

She was having fun. And that's what mattered in life, right?

**Song Nine: Summer Loving- Grease**

"So, I broke open the iceberg- and then you father dropped right down into my lap!"

"Did you kiss?" her youngest daughter piped, her eyes wide. Behind her, her brother made gagging noises in the back of his throat.

"No, no, I didn't," Aang said with a lap. "Instead, I pulled her in closer, my eyes shining and I said…."

There was a squeal of excitement. Aang grinned. "Will you go penguin sledding with me?" Katara finished.

"I was so amazed," Katara said, "That I agreed. I mean- I find him in an iceberg, and that's what he said!"

"You guy's sounded really lame when you were kids," muttered their kid darkly.

But the two benders just smiled at each other. That winter was what they remember the most.

**Song Ten: I'm a Believer- Smash Mouth**

Love was not my strong point.

Let's face it. Life is not my strong point. My childhood was rotten, growing up in the palace with no friends. And then my mother disappeared, and I was banished….my life was screwed.

But love, especially. The only girls I had ever talked to was my psychopathic sister and her two friends. I was about as good at flirting as a dead log, and with my scar, about as handsome as one too. Falling in love was a fantasy- especially with my banishment.

But after three years, I saw her face. Her usually dark expression brightened by a soft smile, her black hair falling in front of her eyes.

With Mai, I'm a believer.


	4. Fortune Telling

"**Well, now you're going to see for yourselves that fortunetelling is just a big, stupid hoax!"  
**

**-Sokka, The Fortuneteller**

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Two children trooped across the snow, their hands weighed down by buckets filled with algae and the last of the sparse summer berries. With the onset of winter, what little there was in the way of vegetation in the South Pole was dying, and everyone was in a rush to collect it; it was always a struggle to survive the harsh, winter months. Any extra food could be a life saver.

And already signs of winter were approaching. The migration of the animals were changing, the ice fields hardening. And, of course, the days were shortening.

As it was, the sun was already dipping over the horizon, sending its dying rays against the icy plains, lighting them on fire.

"Hurry up," Sokka urged his sister. "We need to get back to the village before nightfall."

Katara scowled at him from behind her hair-loopies. "We wouldn't have to go so fast if _someone_ hadn't forgotten to bring a lantern."

Sokka choose not to respond, and carried on in a pointed silence.

The two of them walked on, their boots crackling in the snow. Their eyes were on the village nestled in the inlet below- a small assembly of tents and lights. As darkness fell, they both knew that it was important to keep their goal in sight, so they wouldn't get lost.

They both knew that, but only Sokka was adhering to it.

Instead, Katara's head was tilted back as she walked, her blue eyes on the endless sky above her. The first pinpricks of stars were appearing, and the moon was already rising, like a splinter of silver on ink. But her eyes were not focused on those, but something much more enchanting.

"Isn't it pretty?"

Sokka looked back at his sister, who had fallen behind. "What?"

He saw where Katara was staring, and followed her gaze. "Oh, that. I guess."

In the sky rolled unearthly trails of blue light, shimmering like a veil. Sparks of pink and orange danced, and a blanket of green swept over the snow. Under the darkness the sky was an explosion of colours. The _Aurora Australis_.

He looked at the dancing lights for a few moments, then shrugged, before trudging on. He had seen those lights a hundred times, and it felt as if his stomach was full of a saber-tooth-moose-lions. If they took much longer, he was going to start eating their berries. He _hated _berries.

Katara glanced at him. "Aren't you impressed?"

Sokka rolled his eyes. They'd had conversations like this millions of times. "They're just a bunch of dumb lights, Katara. You can see them _every _night. And more importantly, you can see them from the warmth of our tent. Come on!"

But his sister was still looking up at the sky with an expression of awe and….longing?

"Mom used to say that it was the entrance to the spirit world. She said that's where our spirits go when we die."

Sokka shivered despite his thick parka. He didn't want to get into a conversation about his mom.

"And _I'm _going to die if I don't get something to eat! Hurry up!" And he began walking again.

But now Katara had that hard look in her eye, which made them look like ice. She was determined to make her brother impressed, no matter what. "And Gran Gran says that you can tell the future from them!"

Sokka stopped, _again. _He slowly turned toward his sister. "Katara, that's just stupid."

Katara bristled angrily. "No, it's not! Gran Gran said she once knew I man who could read the future."

Sokka sighed. "Listen, Katara," he said in that superior voice that he loved so much. It was also the one, unsurprising, Katara hated. "No one can tell the future. It's impossible. If someone said they could, it was just a scam. Anyone could make some random predictions, and if some of them turned out to be right…," he shrugged. "The person becomes rich just because of a couple coincidences."

"Oh, really?" Katara folded her arms.

Sokka laughed. "Yeah, nothing magical about it. Heck, I could even do it!"

Katara already knew what was going to happen, and before she even had time to roll her eyes, Sokka had put down his basket of berries. And now he had his head up to the sky, with his arms raised above his head. His normally dark skin was pale, reflecting the glow from above.

He almost looked like a ghost.

"Oh Great Spirits of the Lights," he said, in a ridiculously exaggerated voice, "Tell me, Sokka, the Great Warrior, the future, so that I can bestow it upon my unenlightened sister!"

Sokka froze, and had his eyes roll into his head. And then, without looking at Katara, he said; "The spirits are telling me something….they say….they say….that one day, we will meet an air-bender! The last air-bender in existence!"

Katara was unimpressed, and made it fairly obvious. Her lips were pursed, and her arms were crossed. But Sokka was too deep in his performance to notice, or care. He was now waving his arms in time with the lights.

"And…and…they say we shall find him trapped, and that we shall rescue him from the clutches of evil!" Sokka's voice was rising to an overdramatic level. "And the evil shall have a shaven head, and eyes of gold!

"And then we will travel across the world on a giant, flying, horned beaver!" By now Katara had a tiny smile playing at her lips. "There will be an epic battle, with much death. And my girl friend…"

Katara snorted. "You'll have a girlfriend?"

Sokka glared at her for a second, but didn't break from his performance.

"Yes, I will have a girlfriend. She will be unbelievably beautiful, and will be royalty, too. And she shall sacrifice herself to save the earth, much to my despair.

"Then we will journey across the Earth, and have many adventures, with magical trees, and earth benders, and….um….a library. A mystical, spirit library. We'll venture deep into the Earth Kingdom, and have to fight a century's worth of corruption, after which we will be forced to head into the Fire Nation.

"And finally, we will end the war! I'll defeat the Fire Nation's evil legion of war with only a sword, and be proclaimed a hero throughout the land. And you will battle the Fire Nation Princess and…." Sokka giggled at little bit here. "And you'll actually win!"

This made Katara scowl again.

"And finally," Sokka said, and his voice had dropped, and was filled with a false sweetness. "The war will have finished, and prosperity will reign throughout the world. And we will all become best buds with the Fire Lord, who will have realized the error of his ways, and turned good!"

And Sokka's arms dropped, and he smiled at his sister in a patronizing way. "See?" He asked. "There's no way any of that's going to come true. I think I've proved my point."

Katara was still scowling at him. "If you're going to pretend you can tell the future, you should at least make you're predictions believable."

Sokka picked up his bucket, and turned back towards the village. By now the sun had completely set, and he could only make out the glow of fires below. "But believable is boring."

Katara smiled at her brother, and started walking after him. He may have been the worst fortune teller ever, but at least he was entertaining, she thought.

And somewhere, up in the heavens, the spirits looked down at the two children- blue pinpricks on a sea of ice. There was a knowing smile at their lips.

Even spirits need entertaining sometimes.

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Well, here's my first real attempt at Avatar-related humor. I think it came out okay- I've always been a sucker for irony. But, as always, constructive criticism is welcome.


	5. Cold

"Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world and now you shall pay the ultimate price."

The Avatar, Avatar Aang

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Cold. I am so cold.

My cell is damp, and the water seems to leak into every single pore of my body, straight into my core. I can't remember what it feels like to be dry. I can't even be bothered to shiver anymore.

Even the sun on my face does nothing. It is only light; not the power it used to be. It leaves me feeling nostalgic, empty, betrayed. Not that anything I see counts for light - the flickering torchlight is hardly a substitute for the raging fires that once surrounded me.

Nothing can fill that empty void inside me. Not food, not sleep, not even visits from the 'Fire Lord'. I want to be angry at him, to fight and snarl- but I won't give him the satisfaction. He may now be the ruler of my nation, but he is still a traitor and a failure. Pretty silks and a crown can't hide the truth.

When he visits, I do not respond to his words. Instead I sit, a discarded shell, letting his pestering questions roll over me like waves.

All my power has gone. I have no throne, and the Avatar has sucked me dry. I sit, forgotten in a cell. The history books will glaze over me, making me into the image they want, not the self I truly was. My only joy comes from the knowledge that I have something he doesn't. I know where his mother is.

I see the desperation in his eyes, the need that fills him. But those words will never leave me lips.

I have the information he wants, he craves. With that, I can never be forgotten. That is why I keep silent.

I am so cold.


	6. The Fool

"The Fool is the card of infinite possibilities. He is on his way to a new beginning."

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Standing there, at the ledge, with Appa's rein in his hand reminded him of that time long ago; the step all young air-benders take, when they venture into the air for the first time.

He had stood there in the sunlight. His orange robes had billowed in the wind, tugging playfully at him. The other children had stood next to him, looking down apprehensively. The ground ended very suddenly, into a dizzying drop. You couldn't see the ground- it was hidden a thick mist. Standing there, it felt like they were staring into a magical abyss.

Many of them had been afraid. They had all seen the power of air; surging storms, the tornados that the elder monks could summon up. The single glider in their hand seemed flimsy and stiff. How could it ever keep them safe against the unstoppable power of the element?

But Aang hadn't been afraid. Staff in hand, he had jumped gracefully off the cliff. He had plummeted, straight down. The wind had rushed through his ears. Excitement had roared through him; he was flying, flying, completely in control…

A lemur had glided behind him, chasing him playfully. The wind buffeted him, cradled him. He had felt free and alive.

It was strange, Aang reflected, that he should feel the same way now.

Ever since he had found out he was the Avatar, he had felt suffocated. The world seemed to be closing in on him. He was no longer himself, a care-free boy, but the Most Powerful Being in existence. The other children looked at him with awe, and fear. The adults looked at him like a tool, a thing to be used.

Only Gyatso had looked at him the same way. At first, this had confused Aang- everyone else had changed. When he had once questioned him, he had expected him to say some great wisdom about souls and your true self. Instead, the old man had simply smiled at him over the Pai Sho board. "Yes, you're the Avatar. But so what? There have been a thousand others."

That had comforted him. Everyone had been telling him how _special _he was- but only because of his powers. Gyatso thought he was special, but because he was _him, _not he Avatar.

And then, they tried to take Gyatso away.

When he had found out, he actually felt as though he were falling. Down and down, pulled under by the terrible weight of responsibilities, and loneliness.

He loved Gyatso. He loved him with a passion. He had never had a father- air nomads don't know their parents- but he had come to think of the elder monk as one. He was quiet, with a pensive voice, and his thoughts were as quick as the wind. The way his eyes crinkled when he smiled, and the concentration he put into his work- everything about him made Aang feel safe.

He would miss Gyatso dearly.

But it was more than that; once Gyatso was gone, nobody would see him as Aang. He would always be the Avatar, never just a kid. He shivered at the thought.

No, he didn't want to leave. He really, really didn't. He would miss the winding spires of the temple, the familiarity of home. But he would lose that anyway, when he was sent away. It would be much better to leave on his own terms. That way, he could go wherever he wanted, do what he liked. Maybe he could visit his friends across the Nations.

Or he could go to one of the Water Tribes. He'd never been there before. He wondered what a land of pure water and ice would be like. And penguin sledding! His heart raced just at the thought. How fun would that be?

And, Aang supposed, he could start to learn water bending. That was his job, _right? _Not that he'd tell anybody he was the Avatar- he would just watch the benders, maybe practice alone. He could learn how to be the Avatar, without all those stupid rules and restrictions.

Yes, he was sad about leaving. The sadness had washed over him for days, nearly overflowing. But now, at the moment of his departure, it didn't seem so bad.

He could still feel the trail the tear had made when he had left the letter for Gyatso. But with the sadness, there was also a great sense of calm….the decision was made. He was leaving, to make his own way. It shot a thrill of adrenaline down his spine.

He looked back at the Temple that rose up behind him. The tall pillars, winding their way into the sky, seemed to sparkle with torchlight in the coming night. It looked so peaceful. But at the same time, it seemed distant. Everyone was inside, hiding from the coming storm. It was practically deserted. The only one watching him was a small lemur, who chattered away quietly.

To Aang, its voice sounded like a warning. Or, maybe a call of encouragement.

He looked over at Appa. The bison stared at him with an intelligent, brown eye. "You ready?"

The bison grunted in agreement, and Aang's mind was made up. He climbed up on Appa's back, quick as anything.

And so, with one flick of the reins, the boy and his companion launched off the cliff, and into the unknown.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

This is an idea that's been floating around in my head for a while; a series of one-shots based around tarot cards. This particular one was based around card 0- The Fool. To me, this card just sums up Aang's carefree personality.


	7. Engagement

Boy, it's been a long time since I've updated. But between my exams and my incredibly busy summer, I've hardly had a moment to spare. But finally, I was able to write this. Unfortunately, while I was writing, I kept wondering how my English class would interpret this, which must be a bad sign for my mental health…..

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

She panted desperately, her breath steaming in the frozen air. She felt terribly hot, and her clothes seemed to be strangling her. She wished she could throw them off, run naked in the streets. The ice would freeze her body, frost misting up her eyes. She would be sucked into oblivion; no thoughts, no worry. Just pure white. It would be death, but it would be an escape.

Escape….escape….escape….it became a mantra, chanted in time with her running feet. Over bridges, down channels, through labyrinth of ice. She didn't know where she was going, and she didn't care.

Finally, she began to slow, drifting to a stop. She shivered, but not because she was cold.

The girl was standing on the outmost wall of the city, looking out at the shivering ocean. It stretched on, infinite, and for a moment she saw her own future reflected in its waves- days after days at his side, tending to him, obliging to his every wish.

Her hand rose to her throat, and she felt the betrothal necklace at her neck. She felt the delicate carving under her hand, beautiful swirls of water, curling in the Water Tribes' sacred pattern.

_Ocean and Moon, _Pakku's voice had said in her ear, sweet and tender. _The eternal lovers. What better way to seal our marriage, my love?_

She had felt frozen, rooted to the spot, as the water-bender pulled up her hair and clicked the necklace into place.

_Beautiful, _he had said, smiling at her.

That's when she ran.

She had only a moment to see the startled expression in the young man's face as she flew past. When she rushed off the balcony, into the party, she hardly registered the alarmed faces of her family, or the desperate calls of her father as she ran into the streets.

It was as though all her sense had escaped her. Courtesy, decorum, tradition, all of them had fled, and she had gone with them.

_Stupid, _she berated herself. _I was so stupid!_

Still, she couldn't make herself go back.

She had embarrassed herself, she realised that much. A girl did not just flee from a party, run away without a word to her hosts. _Especially _when a boy had just proposed to her.

But she had done it. And even though she fully understood the implications- the whispers that would trail behind her, of how undignified she was- the girl did not wish she hadn't done so.

_I do not want to marry Pakku, _she thought miserably. _Never, ever, ever. _

"Why don't you like him?" one of her friends and questioned her, back when he had first taken an interest in her. "He's from a senior family! He's an amazing water-bender!"

"I know that," the girl had replied sourly. "It's just- I hate him! He's so arrogant, and full of himself. And he's not even that good!"

That was the truth. Although women didn't often interact with warriors, especially those without bending abilities, the girl had seen enough of Pakku to know what he was like. The way he showed off in front of others, and jeered at them behind his Master's back. He acted like his family's status made him the most important person in the North Pole. He was the most pompous person she had ever met.

"Besides," she finished off, sensing her friend's response, "he probably doesn't mean anything by it. Pakku flirts with all the girls."

Which was true. Yes, she had noticed that Pakku gave her a little extra attention; he was always prepared with a smart comment, or a wink to shoot in her direction. After a while, it had almost become a game- Pakku's attempts to impress her, coupled against the girl's disdainful replies. It was almost _fun, _in some strange, twisted way.

But never had the possibility arisen in her mind that Pakku would want to marry her.

She remembered to earlier that evening; a time which was already blurring in her memory. It was a high-end ball, one that her family had been invited to. It was great news, of course; while her family wasn't badly off, it certainly wasn't among the higher rings of society. That night they were all on their best behaviour. She, herself, was dressed in her best furs. They didn't know what had allowed them to be invited to such a formal event, but they were not going to waste it.

She had hardly been surprised when Pakku tapped her on the shoulder. She he'd be there. She'd given a small smile. The guests she had been speaking two looked ancient, their faces lined with wrinkles. And they were dull. Anyone, even Pakku, would be a welcome break.

"Mind if I borrow her?" he asked, before gently pulling me away.

She raised her eyebrows once they were far enough away. "And what if I don't want to be borrowed?"

Pakku gave her a smile, but it wasn't the cocky one she was use to. There was something hesitant about it, gentle almost. "This time….I think you will."

At the time, she'd felt curious, wondering what he could be talking about. Now, looking back, she was sure that she really, really didn't want to be borrowed.

_Borrowed. _It made her sound like an object. Can I borrow your knife? Oh, sure, no problem!

Wasn't that all she was, really? An object? Now that Pakku proposed to her, the wedding was basically guaranteed. Only her father could disagree to it, and she was certain he wouldn't. Pakku was from high society, and well on his way to becoming a water bending master. It was a miracle that someone like Pakku could be interested in her. She could already hear her father's voice; _it's what's best for the family._

Would they ask for her opinion? Of course not. She was just a bargaining chip, something to be sold.

A tear leaked out her eye, and began freezing instantly. She wiped it away.

_There's no use in crying, _she told herself sternly. _There's nothing I can do about it. I'm going to be married to Pakku. Surely, that's not too bad. There could be worst people…._

She told herself these things, trying to console herself. It was her only choice. Be happy, or be miserable. Still, some rebellious part of her whispered, _if only I could escape. _

_Escape what? _She asked back. _The marriage? The only way to do that, I bet, would be to escape the whole city!_

She paused, and blinked. She looked out to the ocean. It stretched into the distance, cold and calm. It looked impenetrable, a liquid wall.

But that wasn't true, was it? People sailed those waters all the time. They swam before he visions; Water Tribe boats with their blue sails, Earth Kingdom trading ships, Fire Nation armadas, in their menacing black….all of them were out there, right now, sailing on those endless waters.

For a moment, she thought she could hear the sailors down at the docks, preparing their ships.

Her heart fluttered, not with fear, this time, but a vague feeling of hope. It would be dangerous, she knew. The world was at war. Fire Nation patrols roamed the waters, and she was just a girl. Outside the city, she'd be defenceless, lost in a world she'd never know. The thought scared her.

But was it really any worst and being held prisoner by her own tribe?

_No, _she thought. And in that moment she was sure. _I'd much prefer to be lost out there, than stuck in here._

Kana looked out across the ocean. The sun was just peeking up, over the horizon, beginning the few hours of day light it was able to muster at this time of year. Its rays stretched over the water, making it shimmer. In the distance, she could see a massive field of ice.

She was so far away at this point, that Kana could barely make out the shape of the city she knew that was there. The ice it was carved from reflected a blinding light, hiding the only home she'd ever known from her eyes.

She was on an Earth Kingdom trading ship, filled with Water Tribe goods. The wood floor felt strange and foreign beneath her feet. On her back was a large leather bag; it held dried blubber, a water skin, a spare traveling cloak and a bag of Water Tribe coin. She had stolen it all from her family, when she'd fled that night. Nobody had been home. They had probably still been at the party, trying to cover for her absence. An absence that would never be filled, Kana knew.

She smiled at the sun-rise, fighting back her feelings of guilt. The dawn felt right, like it was acknowledging her new beginning. No more North Pole, no more strict traditions, no more engagement….

Suddenly, on impulse, Kana began fumbling with her glove, and took it off. She reached up to her neck, feeling the necklace, warm against her skin. She played with the clasp, and ripped the necklace off. With a savage brutality, she took it in hand.

She dangled it over the side of the boat. Waves jumped up, as though trying to devour it. Her hand was clenched, prepared to let it go. The betrothal necklace would drop into the waves, lost in the murky depths of the ocean.

But she didn't let go. Kana wasn't sure why, but she couldn't let go of that necklace.

She pulled it back in, holding it delicately in the palm of her hand. The carving was ornate, done beautifully. Kana wondered for a moment if Pakku had carved it himself.

She stared at it for a moment, and put it back on her neck. She'd already left everything else behind; this, she thought, was one thing she could keep.


	8. Reunited?

"Where is my mother?"

-Zuko, Avatar Aang

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

She was a thin woman- gaunt even. Her black hair was beginning to grey, and she had hollow eyes. Everything about her seemed to speak of a hard life, one which had seen much sadness. But there was a faded beauty about her.

Zuko looked her over, his eyes sucking in her features, like a dying man would do to water. Everything; her face, her clothes, her hands. He didn't want to miss any detail about her.

And at last, a tear escaped his good eye, rolling down his cheek. "Mother!"

He lunged forward and embraced her, wrapping his arms around her slender frame. She hugged back, too, awkwardly at first, but then stronger. "My son."

Zuko wanted to stay like that forever, wrapped around his mother, regaining years of lost time. But all too soon, the women let go. She held the Fire Lord at arm's length, and looked into his eyes. For a second, Zuko felt as if he were in bed again, with his mother waking him up in the dead of night.

"How much you've changed!" the women said, awe in her voice. Her voice was different from how Zuko remembered it. Older. More worn. He had never thought how much the years of hardship might have changed her. She could almost be another woman.

"Yeah." He suddenly felt very awkward, as if he was speaking to a stranger. _Don't think that, _he reprimanded himself. _She's your mother! _"A lot has changed since I last saw you…."

"Yes," she smiled at him. It was a very tender smile. "Imagine! Ozai banishing you! And how you helped the Avatar! I'm so proud of you."

He grinned at her, suddenly realized how much he had to show her.

"You'll get to meet him, you know! He couldn't come with me- he had some Avatar duties to attend to…but when we get back to the capital, he'll be sure to visit….And, Mai! You'll get to see her again, too. We're….together now…."Zuko blushed, and quickly hurried on. "And there's Sokka and Katara- they're from the water tribe- and Toph and Suki….

"Oh, and Uncle Iroh! Did you know he's running a tea shop in Ba Sing Se now? On my next visit we can go see him again. He'll be so happy!..."

His words just gushed out, a continuous string, never ending. He had so much to tell her, so much he wanted to share. She just listened, a tiny smile on her face.

They had found her in a small little village, in the outskirts of the Earth Kingdom; it had escaped the Fire Nation siege only because of its isolation. The town did hardly any trading, and was almost completely cut off by the mountains surrounding it. It was the perfect place for a person to go if they needed to vanish.

It was a sad sight. The buildings were dirty and in disrepair- some were covered in so much dirt that they seemed to vanish into the mountain side. The rice paddies were wilted and brown. The place carried an air of exhaustion.

They'd come on a tip; even after all these years, Ozai's mouth remained firmly closed on his wife's location. And so, they'd sent out messenger hawks, hundreds of them, all bearing Ursa's name and picture. And eventually, something had come in.

After meeting her, they stayed for another day. Zuko thought for sure that she'd want to have more time to say good bye, and to get ready, but she seemed anxious to leave. Zuko could understand that. The town was a pitiful little thing, existing in out of the way region of the Earth Kingdom. Her hut was small and decrepit, and she appeared to live on a feeble existence of rice. Who wouldn't want to leave this for the beauty of the Fire Nation palace? And besides, the people seemed none to kind to her. They almost seemed to _resent _her.

But more than that, he assumed, was simply leaving behind banishment. He knew how heavy it weighed on ones soul, to have no home to turn to…to be thrust from your own bed…just thinking about it made his scar throb.

So they left only an hour or so after dawn. The village was bathed in pink fire, and the dust thrown up by the ostrich horses seemed to glow in the morning light. From the inside of the royal carriage, the woman looked out. A few villagers were watching: some giving feeble waves, but most were whispering mutinously. One man stood out of the crowd- he wore a grin and a knowing grin on his face. The woman smiled at him as the carriage passed.

Zuko didn't look out the carriage at all. He was far too busy with the woman, telling her all about his life. It was a mainly one sided conversation- the women wanted to learn all she could, not make idle talk.

_And they said I'd never be anything, _she thought smugly to herself, thinking of her long departed parents. _I just wish they could see lazy, good for nothing Rin now- sitting in a fine carriage in the Fire Lord's company!_

_No, not Rin, _she reminded herself. _You're Ursa now. _

_Ursa. _She rolled the word around her head a few times. It was an okay name, she decided, although she had heard prettier. But what did her name matter if she was decked in finery and eating like a queen?

The village had first gotten wind of the search five months ago, when a Royal Message Carrier had arrived. He had dispatched the message of the Fire Lord's search for his mother, and how any information regarding her whereabouts would be rewarded. Practically everyone had ignored it. Although they'd mainly escape the Fire Nation's siege in the war, they still wanted nothing to do with the country which had caused a hundred years of turmoil.

Except for her childhood 'friend' Hing-Nai. When he'd seen the photo, something had occurred to them- the women in the portrait looked remarkably like a certain lady in the village. And after a few nights of thought, he'd come to her with a plan.

They'd thought it up in secrecy, without allowing anyone else to know. Rin did seem similar to Ursa; not identical, of course, but close enough to pass. Anything that didn't add up could simply be brushed away to old age. It was a brilliant idea, really. Hing-Nai reported that he knew Ursa's whereabouts to the messenger, and been paid some reward money. Then the two of them spent next few months learning up on the Fire Nation's royal family. Acting had always been one of her strong points- as a youth, everyone had called her melodramatic- and their deceptions were so well planned, that Fire Lord Zuko practically swallowed the lie. It was what he wanted to hear, and they were willing to say it to him.

For a moment, she wondered about the real Ursa. Where was she? Did she know that her son had been searching for her? Was she even alive?

_Doesn't matter, _she thought happily, as she turned back to her 'son' and answered one of his questions. She was Ursa now.

OoOoOoOoooOoOoOoOoOoOoooOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOOO

Like most fans, I am rather frustrated by the lack of conclusion on this little plot point. And, I really _do _want Zuko to be reunited with his mother. But this little plot bunny bit me on the butt and it just had to be written!


End file.
